The mental side of racing has been a huge focus for me. I am a firm believer that your thoughts have a huge impact on your wellbeing and ultimately on your performance. During a race, I am always thinking about something, so why not fill my head with positive thoughts?

I used to think that some people just had more grit or tenacity than others, but in the past few years I have learned that mental strength and resilience are skills that you can learn. Just like in meditation, you can teach yourself to come back to the present moment and find something positive or motivating to focus your attention on. If I’m having a tough race and lose a few positions, for example, I might shift my focus to something I can control - committing myself to doing all the technical features really well on this lap, or focusing on hitting my lines really smoothly, or even passing just one person. It’s these small things that help me regain my rhythm, which can often make a big difference in a long race.

One of the most important parts of my mental preparation is finding rituals that help me approach every race in roughly the same way. Everyone is different and has different needs leading into a race. Throughout my racing career, I’ve had a lot of time to dial in a plan that works best for me, and find ways to control my preparation so I can trust I will feel ready to perform on race day.

No matter how much experience you have in racing, however, no two races are the same and each brings a new set of mental and physical challenges. Last year I was dealing with the pressure of being at the top of my category and setting my sights on the World Cup Overall in my last year as a U23. I had to learn how to both believe in my goals and also deal with the pressure that comes with aiming to win. It was a whole different kind of pressure for me. This year, in contrast, my focus is on making a successful transition to the Elite rankings and believing that I can make it to the front of that field. Every season and every race is different, but the process of dealing with new challenges and pressures is much the same for me. I try to be thoughtful and reflective, be honest with myself about my goals, and with my team and accept that, at the end of the day, giving my best effort is all I can really control.

You Never Fail

By Kara Goucher

Just Keep Going